Though not required by law, journalists are trusted to be truthful and ethical in their storytelling. In the movie Shattered Glass, the main character Steven Glass behaves extremely unethically. Not only does he fabricate many of the stories that he writes, he also deceives his colleagues by constantly withholding the truth from them.
Fabricating and deceiving are not only harmful to a single journalist’s career and credibility if and when they get caught, but these actions are harmful to the field of journalism as a whole. Jefferson Spurlock (2016), the director of the Hall School of Journalism and Communication at Troy University, said “Reporters are normally thought of as credible news deliverers. But when some stretch the truth through fabrication or lies, their credibility declines” (p.74).
When Stephen Glass eventually gets caught fabricating stories and deceiving his colleagues through lies in the movie Shattered Glass, it is clear that his credibility is destroyed and that he will never have the opportunity to work in journalism again. Many scholars and journalists believe that journalists, especially young journalists, lie and fabricate their stories because of ambition. They are so focused on becoming well-known and well-liked in the industry that they abandon their morals. Gali Saltz (2004), a psychiatrist with New York Presbyterian Hospital, claims that liars “lie to protect themselves, look good, gain financially or socially and avoid punishment”. Stephen Glass was described by friends and colleagues as a “insecure person who needs constant affirmation” (Dowd, 1998, p.14). Glass was so focused on being liked and becoming relevant in the world of journalism that he placed no focus on having integrity.
In an interview to CBS-TV’s 60 Minutes Steven Glass describes the moment of temptation that drew him to lying, fabrication and deceit. Glass said “I remember thinking, if I just had the exact quote that I wanted, it would be perfect…” (Shapiro, 2006, p. 263). Glass’ need for perfection in his professional life led him to abandon all morals. David Callahan, the author of the novel The Cheating Culture, attributes the Glass scandal to “‘the reaping of big rewards’ that come with big success in the ‘star system’ that divides highly paid media elites from poorly paid ordinary achievers” (Shapiro, 2006, p. 265). This viewpoint argues that Glass did what he did for the “fame and fortune” of it all, he wanted to be a star.
While there on many theories on why journalism professionals, and simply the general public, lie and deceive their peers, it is impossible to know for sure why Stephen Glass did what he did. And though he has been interviewed, it is impossible to judge his level of credibility after what he did. While it may be impossible to completely eradicate this problem, a good first step is to ensure that there are programs in place to educate young journalists about the dangers of fabrication and deceit and the consequences that come with it. It is also important to educate people on the story of Stephen Glass, and other fraudulent journalists, so it is clear that this type of behavior is not acceptable in the field of journalism.
References
Dowd, A. R. (1998). The Great Pretender: How a Writer Fooled His Readers. Columbia Journalism Review,14-15. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
Saltz, G. (2004) “Why People Lie and How to Tell if They Are,” http:// www.today.com/health/why-people-lie-how-tell-if-they-are-2D80554952.
Shapiro, I. (2006). Why They Lie: Probing the Explanations for Journalistic Cheating. Canadian Journal of Communication,31(1). doi:10.22230/cjc.2006v31n1a1595
Spurlock, J. (2016). Why Journalists Lie: The Troublesome Times for Janet Cooke, Stephen Glass, Jayson Blair, and Brian Williams. ETC: A Review of General Semantics,71-76. Retrieved September 21, 2018.